JP-A-2000-20255 discloses a laser printer, which temporarily stores print data in a receive buffer while receiving the print data from a host computer, reads and analyzes the print data stored in the receive buffer, and executes a printing process while expanding the print data to a work memory. When there is a space area in the receive buffer, the laser printer sequentially receives the print data from the host computer. In the event that there is no space area, the laser printer sends, for example, a busy signal to the host computer and makes the host computer to wait transmitting the print data.
The laser printer disclosed in JP-A-2000-20255 includes a function of canceling the printing process for the print data being received. A space area of the receive buffer is maintained by canceling print data which no longer requires the printing process, thereby making it possible to receive the print data from the host computer in the space area.